MotoGP Rd 3 - Rossi wins rain-swept Chinese GP

Gauloises Yamaha Team rider Valentino Rossi made history once again today, becoming the first rider to take a MotoGP victory at Shanghai, with a stunning performance in torrentially wet conditions at the inaugural Grand Prix of China. Despite starting from sixth place on the grid Rossi took control of the race on the fifth lap, taking over from early leader Kenny Roberts (Suzuki) and opening up a clear gap over the chasing pack. It was an advantage the reigning World Champion would never let slip, holding his concentration for the next 17 laps despite the attentions of surprise challenger Olivier Jacque (Kawasaki), riding in place of the injured Alex Hofmann. Jacque passed Sete Gibernau (Honda) for second place with seven laps to go and closed in on Rossi at the front, but was unable to seriously threaten the Italian's second victory from the opening three rounds of the championship.

Former world champion Kenny Roberts Jr. was cruelly forced to retire whilst leading the race, his Suzuki GSV-R and Bridgestone tyres looking unbeatable until fate intervened.

Olivier Jacque delivered Kawasaki’s best-ever result in the premier class of motorcycle grand prix racing, with a masterful second place in a water-logged Chinese Grand Prix today. The podium position was also a personal best for the 31-year-old Frenchman in the premier class. Previously he was fourth in the 2003 French GP at Le Mans.

With Marco Melandri (Honda) eventually passing Gibernau on the final lap to snatch third place, Rossi's advantage at the top of the World Championship now stands at 25 points over his Italian compatriot.

After two days of wet and then dry conditions, the weather turned properly wet for race day. But the surface of the one-year-old Shanghai track proved exceptionally grippy where there wasn’t standing water and the best of the wet weather specialists revelled in the conditions.

John Hopkins (Suzuki) got a flier of a start from row two to head the pack into turn one with his team-mate Kenny Roberts right up with him from row three. Then Hopkins lost ground late in the lap to let Rossi and Tony Elias (Yamaha) through as lap two began.

The established order had been dismantled already, but the efforts of Elias, and then Alex Barros (Camel Honda RC211V) who was seventh in the early stages, were ruined by ‘ride through’ penalties. Both were judged to have jumped the start and were punished by a speed-limited ride along pitlane, putting them out of contention.

Roberts was holding onto his lead until he slowed with machine trouble on lap five. Troy Bayliss (Camel Honda RC211V) had fallen a lap earlier, then Hopkins ran off track two laps later. Rossi now led from Sete Gibernau (Team Movistar Honda RC211V) who was riding steadily at second, with Max Biaggi (Repsol Honda RC211V) in third.

Max, who had a nightmare time in qualifying, starting from 14th on the grid, had found some speed in the dreadful conditions. So had stand-in riders Olivier Jacque (replacing the injured Alex Hofmann at Kawasaki) and Jurgen van den Goorbergh who was riding in place of Makoto Tamada (Konica Minolta Honda RC211V) who has a broken wrist. Jacque lay fourth and van den Goorbergh fifth as riders approached mid-distance.

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